Roberto Valdez Jr. serves as the Midwest Policy Director for the Hispanic Federation, a national Latino nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering Latino communities, supporting families, and strengthening institutions. Valdez leads policy and legislative efforts for the HF Midwest office, nurtures relationships with key stakeholders in Chicago and the broader Midwest region, supports program implementation and outreach, and played a pivotal role in launching the HF Chicago office in October 2022.
With a diverse background spanning non-profit organizations, the private sector, political campaigns, and Capitol Hill, Valdez brings a wealth of experience to his current role. He served as a Digital Campaign Manager for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee during the 2015-2016 campaign cycle, overseeing digital programs for twelve congressional campaigns across multiple states. Valdez focused on fundraising, social media targeting, and digital outreach strategies.
Transitioning to Capitol Hill, Valdez worked as the communications director for Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2017, managing press operations and social media messaging. Subsequently, he joined NOW Strategies, a public affairs firm, as a communications and digital consultant specializing in political consulting and multicultural outreach.
Relocating to Chicago in fall of 2017, Valdez began his tenure with the Latino Policy Forum, initially focusing on communications before assuming a development role and later transitioning to community and government affairs as Associate Director of External Affairs. In this capacity, he managed legislative portfolios at the federal, state, and city levels, fostering collaborative efforts among Latino organizations to promote accountability and influence.
Valdez is actively involved in various boards and associations, including the iHeartMedia Chicago Local Advisory Board, CHANGE Illinois Board, and the National Latino Education Institute Emerging Leaders Board. He holds a B.A. in Communications from Arizona State University and hails from Nogales, Arizona.
Words of Wisdom: “Be comfortable being uncomfortable, embrace the challenging times. At the end of the day the only person you can control is yourself. And, remember that we are our ancestors’ wildest dreams.”
